For the many casual gamers wanting to subvert their non-gamer friends and significant others, Karaoke Revolution is among the best, edging out the "Eye Toy" and even the traditional "Dance Dance Revolution." It’s just about the best party game around.

With its excellent graphics and myriad game modes, ESPN NBA Basketball is a good, strong title. The gameplay quirks like rebounding difficulty and the canned animations are there and can be frustrating, but are easily overlooked when you take in the big picture.

It’s sad to think that with all its high-tech fanciness of the new console generation, TMNT can’t even muster up the personality and gameplay of the old arcade games.

The atmosphere, graphics, scope, versatility and ultimately fun gameplay keeps the bad bits in check enough to keep you up long hours coming back for more.

With its excellent graphics and myriad game modes, ESPN NBA Basketball is a good, strong title. The gameplay quirks like rebounding difficulty and the canned animations are there and can be frustrating, but are easily overlooked when you take in the big picture.

Oozes style and substance, matching its PC counterpart bullet for bullet and raising the stakes with its upgraded control.

Simple and quirky, but ultimately too short and repetitive to really break out.

It’s sad to think that with all its high-tech fanciness of the new console generation, TMNT can’t even muster up the personality and gameplay of the old arcade games.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

The snow effects are unrivaled, the framerate is consistently high and the colors are vibrant. Add to that great animations (particularly during tricks) and an intense sense of speed, and you wind up with one of those rare games that can be as much fun to watch as to play.

With a little effort, they really could have done a lot more with Pirate Hunter, like adding some personal stats and experience to you character, skills like swordfighting or cannon-laying or allowing you to hire specific crew members with different skills.

Problematically, it just doesn’t do too anything new and doesn’t space itself out from the crowd. It feels like you’ve played this game before and you probably have - in better, more interesting forms.

Problematically, it just doesn’t do too anything new and doesn’t space itself out from the crowd. It feels like you’ve played this game before and you probably have - in better, more interesting forms.

Rebel Strike takes a rough shot to its power core with the terrible on-foot segments and short single-player campaign. The delivery and dogfighting is still top-notch, but they really should have just stuck with what worked instead of trying to add in unnecessary gameplay styles.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

And that's where Space Colony breaks down a little - way, way too much to deal with. At times, you'll be so busy just trying to keep up with every gameplay element that it starts to lose its fun.

The Zero series on the GBA trumps X7 with its tightened classic feel. The "Mega Man Legend" series (including Tron Bonne) worked the 3D controls much better. I'm all for change, but it has to come with improvement. The Blue Bomber has bombed out.

A quality experience for the hardcore strategy gamer. The biggest drawback is that it’s so similar to the older Commandos; frankly, you may have already experienced this battle before.

A great storyline, excellent delivery, top-notch voice acting and fun, varied gameplay help Jak II continue Naughty Dog’s tradition of high quality games. It’s simply not to be missed.

About as slick as they come, with a presentation and verve that supercedes cutting-edge. It's a short one, but good things do come in small packages after all.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

Besides the two seconds of fatality joy, the only other redeeming quality of this game is its price. Major retail outlets tag it at about $20. That’s still about $19 overpriced, but at least they’re not trying to pretend this decorative coaster is anything else.

Besides the two seconds of fatality joy, the only other redeeming quality of this game is its price. Major retail outlets tag it at about $20. That’s still about $19 overpriced, but at least they’re not trying to pretend this decorative coaster is anything else.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

If you live with your mother, smoke pot, watch wrestling, can’t vote, and love The Cramps or have a big brother who does, you will likely have a blast with this game. Not only can you get your violence fix by yourself on a Wednesday night, but you and your friends can have fun wrecking each other in the 4-player split-screen.

The one button gameplay is frustrating and silly, resulting is an uneven, uninspiring racer that doesn't do the gumball justice.